Samuel k goodman



(No Model.) S. N. GOODMAN.

KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE.

Patented Mar. 2 6', 1889.

Ffd.

Imam/01" A GOOdnuvrv Zyho'a flitor-ney's NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL N; GOODMAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO CONYERS BUTTON AND MARTIN L. FINOKEL, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

KNITTING-MACHINE NEEDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,330, dated March 26, 1889.

Application filed October 25, 1888. Serial No. 289,096. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL N. GOODMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Knitting-llIachine Needles, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to so construct a knitting-machine needle of the self-acting or pivoted-latch type as to prevent the casting of the stitch from the needle when no new loop of fresh thread is applied to the same; and this object I attain in the manner hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an enlarged sectional view of a knitting-machine needle constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the positions assumed by the movable parts of the needle when a fresh loop of thread is applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the position of the parts when no fresh loop is applied to the needle, and Figs. 3 and 4 are views showing modified forms of needles embodying my invention.

In carrying out my invention I use a needle having a pivoted latch, a, but the slot 1), formed in the shank A of the needle for the reception of the latch, is considerably longer than usual, that portion of the slot below the pivot of the latch being of sufficient extent to permit the latch to lie within it when the latch is retracted, so that the point of the latch will not project above the shank of the needle. (See Fig. 2.)

In the needle shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the slot in the shank is extended above the latch for the reception of an arm, (I, pivoted in the head of the needle, and having at its lower end a heel, f, bearing upon a toe, g, projecting upward beyond the pivot of the latch, the parts being so constructed that when the latch is within the slot in the shank of the needle the inner face of the arm (Z will project beyond the inner face of the shank of the needle, at and near the hooked upper end, A, of the same, so that pressure upon this projecting portion of the arm will cause the heel f to act upon the toe g of the latch, and cause said latch to turn on its pivot so as to bring the point of the latch out beyond the face of the shank. (See Fig. 1.) It will therefore be seen that whenever a fresh thread, 00, is fed to the needle it will depress the arm d, and thus cause the elevation of the tip of the latch above the shank of the needle, so that the stitch y on said needle will catch said latch and throw it up, so as to effect the casting off of the stitch from the needle; but if no fresh thread is applied to the needle the latch Will remain buried in the slot in the needle-shank, and the stitch y on the needle will slip up on the shank of the same and be caught by the hook, thus effectually preventing the casting off of the stitches and the formation of holes in the work, due to failure to feed a fresh thread to the needles. can be readily produced with my improved needle, for as long as no thread is laid in the hook of the needle the stitch already on the needle will not be cast off, so that the same stitch will be retained on the-needle for as many courses as desired by simply arresting the operation of the thread-guide in connection with the particular needle or needles on which it is desired to tuck.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a form of my improved needle which is preferred in some cases. In this needle a lever, d, pivoted adjacent to the pivot of the latch, is used in place of the pivoted arm d of the needle shown in Figs. 1 and 2, one arm of this lever extending to the back of and bearing against the latch a, while the other arm projects inward beyond the shank of the needle at and near the hooked end of the same, the operation of the needle in this case being substantially the same as before described.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modified form of needle, in which a spring-finger, d acting on the heel of the latch, takes the place of the pivoted arm d,(shown in Figs. 1 and 2,) this finger being rigidly riveted or otherwise secured at its upper end to the shank of the needle, and bearing at its free lower end against the heel of the latch, this finger having a portion projecting inward beyond the shank of the needle, so that the pressure upon its projecting portion will cause the elevation of the latch and the casting off of the stitch.

Moreover, tuck-work In all cases, however, the latch-operatorisindependent of the latch itself, so that it does not partake of the swinging movement of the latter under the action of the stitch, a very slight movement only of the hitch-operator being required.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination of the slotted shank of the needle and the pivoted latch adapted to lie within the slot, with alatclroperator having a portion projecting inward beyond the shank of the needle at or near the hooked upper end of the same, said latch-operator being independent of the latch, all substantially as Specified.

2. The combination, of the slotted shank of the needle and the pivoted latch adapted to lie within the slot, with a pivoted lever bearing on said latch and having a portion proc jectinginward beyond the shank of the needle at or near the hook of the same, all snbstantiall y as specified.

I11 testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two sub- 2 5 

